Hannah

I slap the alarm notification on my phone for the third time, silently and sleepily vowing to get to bed earlier tonight than the night before. When the second alarm goes off, also for the third time (I set at least two because morning and I are not buddies), I slap the screen again. This time I rub my eyes and keep them open. Then, I put the phone down and get up.

Except, before I put the phone down and get up, I check my notifications. Relax! It’ll only take a minute! And as one minute becomes 10 or 20, I scroll through texts, emails, and social media, nonchalantly consuming whatever happens to flash on the screen. Before I step foot out of bed, I’ve set my heart and mind at the feet of my iPhone.

I bow in worship every morning when I wake up. But sometimes I bow to the wrong thing.

Maybe my tendency to distraction is why my heart is so drawn to Hannah’s story. I listened again to these first two chapters of 1 Samuel just this morning, and I felt a flutter in my chest as the chapters repeated. In only a few pages, Scripture describes Hannah praying again and again to the Lord, pouring out her heart, bowing in worship. I’m sure she wasn’t perfect—but, oh, how she prayed!

Hannah’s prayers were not obligatory, half-hearted, or empty. She prayed honestly and openly; she prayed as if her life depended on it. “Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears,” we read in 1 Samuel 1:10. “I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment,” she said. From the depth of her anguish and resentment. The good, the bad, and the painful—Hannah brought it all to her God as an act of worship.

In fact, she prayed so earnestly that a priest named Eli accused her of being drunk when he watched her at the tabernacle. “Hannah was praying silently, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard” (1 Samuel 1:13).

I like to pray out loud when I drive because I think anyone observing will assume I’m talking on the phone. Evidently, Hannah wouldn’t have given it enough thought to care.

So what is it about Hannah that gives her the kind of worshipping heart I long to have?

Why is prayer Hannah’s first resort instead of her last?

The Bible does not tell us outright, but I think we’re given some solid clues.

She believes in God’s power. Hannah approaches God with reverence (“Lord of Hosts, if you will take notice of your servant’s affliction…”) and she asks boldly for His blessing (“remember and [do] not forget me…”).

She trusts in God’s goodness. Hannah offers her beloved son Samuel as God’s servant before he is even conceived (“I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life…”). My mama-heart can hardly imagine such trusting resolve.

She rests in God’s presence. We get a glimpse of how Hannah responds in sorrow (“I am a woman with a broken heart… I’ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord”) and even how she begins her day in the midst of hard times of waiting (“Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the Lord”).

Hannah’s habit of prayer was less about her goodness and more about God’s greatness.

After Samuel’s birth, Hannah carried her son up to the tabernacle, dedicating him to the Lord. It’s here that we see her back where she started in Chapter 1: presenting her whole self in prayer before God. Though her prayers of anguish had become a song of thanksgiving, Hannah’s posture was still the same. In supplication and in praise, she bowed in worship before the Lord.

I don’t honestly worship my inbox or my Instagram feed, but I do turn to empty distractions rather than turning my eyes to Jesus. I don’t truly believe prayer is pointless, but the opportunities I don’t take to bow before the Lord make me wonder.

Oh, Lord, please forgive me for giving my worshipful glances and prayerful pleas to anyone and anything other than you!

Sisters, we serve a powerful, loving, and good God—the God who is like no other.

When our lives ache with need, may we bring them to the throne. When our hearts break, may we pour them out to God. When we rise in the morning, may we rise in worship.

“There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides You!”- 1 Samuel 2:2

Prayer should be our first instinct, not out last resort. I love that! And I too was an iPhone worshipper first thing on the morning, but decided to first this do devotionals and found I had so much more time to dedicate to meaningful things. I’m still a work in progress but intentionally being aware of what you spend your time worshipping is so vital for growth.

Not only does Hannah praise the Lord, she GIVES the son FOR WHOM she prayed to grow up in the temple with the priests so he could serve the Lord! She gives back that for which she asked! I can’t imagine praying that hard for a child, only to give them to be raised by others – what sacrifice, trust, gratefulness, and true worship! Hannah TRULY LOVED the Lord. Above all!

Thank you. This passage means so much to me right now. I too am Hannah and I too don’t have any children despite longing and trying. Everyone around me seems to be having children or getting pregnant. In my sadness and prayers, I often think of the similarities between me and my Biblical namesake, we don’t have the children we long for, we pray to God that He will rectify that. And we are loved. I also need to be reminded of the differences between us. Bible Hannah is so more faithful than I and exalts God in a way I need to imitate. This passage is incredibly powerful for me.

I feel quite challenged by God about what Hannah’s husband said… “Am I not enough for you” I’m single and although I want husband & children I feel at this time the challenge to me is will I allow God to be enough.

I feel you gf! I am getting incredibly impatient in the relationship category. i feel so selfish when I ask God to send me my guy already. I want a love story so bad, but I forget that I belong to the greatest love story ever written. Praying for you today sister!

This chapter touches my heart I have been married for 15 years we have been praying for a child. I have so many children in my lifetime to feel the void of because I have so much love to give. Hoping that God will see my giving to other children and bless me with my own children it is an unbearable pain. I will not seas to pray for I believe that there is nothing impossible with God. In Jesus name I pray earnestly though at times I need strength to carry on.

This was so beautifully convincing. I too do the same thing, wake up in the morning and spend a good 15-20 minutes scrolling through my feeds. Ugh, imagine how much more fruit I would see by taking all of that time to bask in the presence of the Lord and give Him my very first moments of the day. Lord give me strength and discipline to strive to seek you first!

Ya! I needed to hear this today. Rise and worship. First words from our lips be praise. Nothing is ours thAt hasn’t been given. Prayer changes things! Hannah understood that! We can see through her life. Praise Jesus who transforms lives. Let’s surrender to his word todY!!!

What trust Hannah displayed and surrender she had when she desired something so much! She wanted to love a child of her own and love she did and surrender she did … I don’t think I often truly surrender something that I am asking the lord for over to him if he gives it to me…I think I like to receive it whatever it might be and thank God for it but not give it back to God. That is a true test of love to God. Wow.

Such a convicting message today! I’m so guilty of setting an alarm to really lay before the Lord and I get distracted but I see that God is truly calling me to focus solely on Him and not the things of this world.

6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.

Sometimes the provoking is external and yet we can turn to God to provide our salvation. Also giving back to God what we petitioned for in such a way that he can entrust us further because he has seen that we were able to keep Him first. No other gods.

Thank you Amanda for your honesty and transparency. I felt like I was reading about my mornings when you described yours. I too want to bow in worship only to our Savior. Thank you for your words, encouragement and this website. ❤️ May God bless you.

Learning so much of the power of prayer this past week. Friday we got home from a mission trip with my church family from West Monroe, LA and we prayed and prayed and prayed this past week. Bowing on our knees begging God to save these sweet kids souls who were living in bondage. The circumstances that these children lived in was horrible.. raping and gangs running rampant… it is hell on earth. The last day we saw our prayers answered some with conversations with the kids at the camp, but mostly we felt it in our hearts from God. This might sound weird but although we all wanted to take those sweet babies home with us, we all left there with this since of peace- knowing that we had loved, prayed, and proclaimed the gospel as much as we could and the rest was in the Lord’s hands. As we had prayed all week, we will continue to but confidently knowing God answers our prayers and that He uses our work to further His Kingdom… sometimes we just don’t see the fruit of our labor. And that is a okay because we might not see it but we know who is in control of it. When we have a life consumed in prayer we fill the power and presence of God in a mighty mighty way!!

This is one of the many favorite of my in the bible . I loved that She Prayed and Prayed .
She didn't give up . Yep I get up in the morning and social media takes over my life and before you know it I haven't pray .
It's a journey and something I need to work on .
Michelle

Hannah no doubt was a godly mother; I wonder what she spent her time doing with Samuel before he was weaned. Did she recite scripture to him daily? Sing worship songs together throughout the day? Samuel’s love for God must have begun in the home as he watched his mom and dad. This convicts me in time I spend with my daughter. What or who am I filling her mind and time with? What will she remember when she is older? What or Whom does she see me worship? I can only hope and pray I can leave such a legacy for my children.

“She prayed as if her life depended on it”. And then again, my life does depend on Him!! I pray that my morning worship also changes from the phone to the Creator of heaven and earth like my life depends on Him!

What wonderful thoughts and reflection from His word today. I pray that I will learn from Hannah's example.
*Believe in God's power.
*Trust in God's goodness.
*Rest in God's presence.
Lord, help me arise in the morning in worship of You, trusting in your goodness through all circumstances.

Alongside Hannah's story, I cannot help but think back to Elkanah's other wife Peninah. Here was a woman, able to raise a family, and she mocks Hannah who is unable to have children. I am amazed at how Hannah endured year after year of this torment (how her heart must have been broken several times, her self-esteem is continual plummet, despite the support and love of her husband).

I imagine that this woman must have been very proud of herself and of her status in society. It reminds me that no matter what situations we are in–whether we are leading a successful life or not–that we need to root and support each other. It's hard enough as it is in this world, and tearing down other women is not Christ-like, no matter the reason why we despise or do not support them.

I loved the devotional for Hannah’s story! I can totally relate to checking my social media, emails, etc. first thing every morning. I hated that those things were the first things that entered my mind in the morning. In fact, that’s exactly what led me to download the She Reads Truth app! I moved this app to the front page of my iPhone and moved Facebook, Instagram, etc. farther away. Then, what do you know, the very next day, Hannah’s story and the devotional appeared, talking about exactly what I had just experienced! I know God was talking to me and encouraging me that I was moving in the right direction…towards Him.

This passage makes me want to sing and dance in praise of our ever-so-amazing Lord!!! Hannah’s story is one we can all relate to at some point of our life. We are placed through seasons of waiting in some form or another – these seasons allow us to grow in our faith and dependence on our Father. Trials are an opportunity to gain trust in His plan. Whether in a season of sorrow or JOY – delight in Thanksgiving of our Father through intimate prayer and jubilant celebrations of praise!

I've been doing this a lot lately as well so distracted and focused on my phone notifications, emails, games, facebook. I keep pushing God back further and further into my day, instead of waking up to worship him first. When I think of all God could be doing for me if I set aside distractions and prayerfully sought him first.

I have been in Hannahs shoes for the past few years, and God has finally brought some light to a situation. I am learning that his timing is always best, no matter what and how long it takes :). It's been beautiful to watch it transform. I think of what Hannah did, giving up her son to the Lord joyfully/ willingly and I ask myself if I could do that as willingly? I hope when the time comes, I can.
May I continue to fight my flesh and make God my priority in worship (not facebook …ugh.)

I am encouraged by Hannah's determination to hold on to her belief that God held the solution to her troubling circumstance. She was not distracted by anyone or anything. She set her "face like flint" and dug in until she saw her prayers answered. Then, the best and most important part….she publicly thanked the Lord and worshipped Him for His faithfulness. She praised Him both in word and deed. Awesome devotion!

I am in the middle of what I call the ‘Best Thought Experiment’ which comes from the hymn ‘be thou my vision': ‘thou my best thought by day or by night’. I have challenged myself to live today like I really believed those words are true. So I am reading through ‘the Divine Hours’, making sure that I ready prayer for the morning, afternoon, and evening before I check my phone. It is my little way to discipline myself to pray and to give the first fruits of my time to Jesus. As I was reading through this, it dawned on me: what if Hannah had turned to social media (or the days equivalent) instead of turning to God? I wonder, like Amanda, what I am missing out on by not turning to God first.

My presently aching, infertile woman-heart had hoped ‘Hannah’ would be solely focused on her story of infertility. How selfish of me! I’ve never evaluated the deeper meaning to her story – how she prayed to God honestly, admitting all of her feelings! I’ve prayed her infertility prayer for nearly 3 years, but I always try to convince God of my faith that he’ll someday bless me with a child. I NEVER pray honestly – sharing my true doubt and how little my faith is or how deep my frustration is because my prayer “hasn’t been answered”. Looks like I need a new prayer approach and relationship with God-perspective. How much deeper our relationship could be if I were honest! It seems so simple. <3

It is evening, close to bedtime, but I didn't do my reading until now. I wish so much that I had not waited, since I woke up with sadness in my heart for something that happened yesterday. I was in a state of not only sadness but confusion. I have been that way all day! Did I reach out to my Lord and Savior like Hannah did? No, I did not!!! BUT now I have. So glad for this teaching and this devotional. Hannah's knew that her God would not fail her that is why she woke up early and prayed!!
The Lord hears our prayers and answers them, maybe not when or how we want them answered but He does hear us!!! Praise the Lord for his faithfulness!!

Day 25 – HANNAH – I am so taken with Hannah’s commitment to bring everything to the Lord in prayer, faithfully, consistently, with unwavering faith that no matter how she might make sense of her situation, her pain, her longings, God was the One to whom she could and should unburden her heart… again and again and again! I also can’t help but think of the parallels between her own story and that of Jochebed from a few days ago. Both were able to nurse and nurture the early years of their baby boys (both gifts from a loving, sovereign God, with special callings on their lives), both bravely took their young son and handed him over to be raised by someone else. In God’s plan you could say that neither had a choice. But from a human perspective, Jochebed had no choice at all and she had to trust God to watch over Moses, being raised in a heathen palace by the enemy of the Jews. We don’t know if she ever saw him again. Hannah was brave enough to trust God with her longings… and the answer to her longings! She voluntarily offered to give Samuel back to God, to serve Him in the tabernacle for the rest of his life. She left him in a place where he would be taught the laws of God and taught to know God in a way that he could one day represent God to the people and the people to God. Scripture tells us that she saw him at least once a year, when they went up to worship the Lord at Shiloh, and brought him a new coat. On some level, Hannah’s circumstance seems much less anxious than Jochebed’s. But both mamas show us what it is to trust God with the well-being and future of our children. Both women display unbelievable courage and self-sacrifice to foster and encourage their children in the plan God had for their lives. We can guess that Jochebed was a prayer warrior, but we *know* that Hannah was one! Her earnest prayers over all the years waiting for God to give her a son, those tender moments when she came to know the closeness of the God who loved her and heard her prayers, would have shaped her prayer life even after Samuel was born and most definitely when she was away from him a full year at a time. May I be challenged to be that same kind of prayer warrior for my kids!

Thank you for this. There are some things I have been praying for a while and one thing I have really been praying for and it feel like God is not coming through for me, and I feel so confused. So thank you for this.

My favorite part of today’s devotion is the last bit, when 1 Samuel 2:2 is referenced, and Samuel says “there is no one Holy like the Lord!” What an amazing legacy that Hannah passed to her son, for him to declare and live out God’s Holiness. I hope that my actions would only serve to exalt God’a holiness in my life and home, so that my son’s declare that as well.

it’s been a crazy few weeks… but here I am, popping in again and it’s my name day. Hannah and I, I think that we really are sisters, and just because we share a name, but because we have a faithful God.

"I don’t truly believe prayer is pointless, but the opportunities I don’t take to bow before the Lord make me wonder."

I have a problem that I confess, is totally backwards in all sense and nature. The problem is that the greater my problems are, the more overwhelmed I feel to lift up my pleas and requests for them, and the LESS I actually pray. In my family there is a grief over a seemingly impossible, limiting, and longstanding issue that has been reality for a while now, many years, and believe it or not, my prayers for us can be some of my laziest though they are the most urgent and needed in the immediate. I have prayed for so long and I know to keep asking, seeking, and knocking – I know to be the persistent woman in the parable going before the judge – but despite what I know, my prayers of late are often my most tired, least energetic, and lifeless prayers. It is something I truly struggle with and feel shame over, as intercession for friends and other loved ones is easier. But sometimes, it just feels like the well has run dry. What more words could be said, or groanings uttered? It's like Amanda wrote – I don't believe prayer is pointless, but I take a look at my patterns and I wonder.

Hannah, then, throws me for a complete loop that makes me bow down in humility, godly sorrow, and repentance. Repentance for not readily remembering the greatness and kindness of our God, and repentance for not being fully honest with Him – that I'm exhausted and confused and sometimes mad about my situation, but I will trust in Him. Hannah poured it all out before Him. Hannah pushed through her fatigue. Hannah never stopped her dedication, her devotion, or expressing her true feelings to the Lord who already knew her heart anyway. Hannah never shelved her faith or went on autopilot. No falsehood, no distraction. Just a real, true, encounter with her pain – and honestly, I think that is noble and so brave. How often we turn to social media and petty distractions to take our mind off of our hurt. It is understandable, but it leads to exhausted and lifeless prayers, as we have already given our energy to something else. It leads to a disrespectful and inaccurate perspective and attitude toward our kind Savior.

The noble thing is to sit through our hurts, just as Hannah did. To pray through them. To live our lives expecting God to act on our behalf, just as He did for Hannah. To not be surprised when He does act in a grand way, in an "impossible" way, for it is only consistent with who He is. And most important of all, to give Him praise all throughout the process.

My husband and I went through several years of trying for a baby. It was expensive and unproductive. About four years later, I got very serious with the Lord. One day I remember bowing before the Lord, and praying Hannah’s prayer. Well, it became my prayer. Less than a month later, I found out I was pregnant. It happened a full year after we’d stopped all fertility treatments. We now have a beautiful 21 month old baby girl. Oh, did I mention I was 41 when she was born? We serve a glorious, never-changing, all-powerful God, and He is no respecter of persons. Don’t give up!

In life there are many distractions. Too many to name. But God should always have first place in our lives. Sometimes you have to let go of your distractions so that you can hear from God. There is not anything I love more in this world than Him. #loveHimso. Matthew 6:33

This was exactly what I needed. I think about all the times I run to social media, sometimes as an empty distraction, other times I seek it for validation. And what about my Lord? What about running to him? So good. Thank you for this. May this word be sealed in my heart. May I live what I learn.

Wow, so much of this hit home today. It started with God getting my attention by describing the very way in which I wake up each morning -worshipping my stupid phone. Thank you, Amanda, for sharing that, because I feel that it is so relatable in our culture today. Yes, I spend time in prayer, but those prayers seem to be more like brief acknowledgements rather than deep, heartfelt pleas and/or thanksgiving.

When times are hard, prayers and conversations with our Creator generally come second to a vent or rant on Facebook for the whole world to see. We long to have other people “know” what we’re going through. We want someone to listen, to take a moment a sympathize for us. We pour our hearts out to God, but don’t quiet ourselves long enough to listen to what he has to say- we treat prayer as a one-way street rather than a relational conversation. However, when we share something on social media, we receive instantaneous feedback from others. No interpretation needed. We immediately feel valued. Why is it that we [or maybe it’s just me] do this? I know, personally, that words of affirmation is my strongest love language to receive…maybe that’s why. I need people to affirm that what I’m feeling is BIG, or that people are encouraging me with prayer; it helps me feel loved right away rather than sitting quietly with God and feeling the love of the Father. I know which one I’d rather feel, but unfortunately I always fall back on tangible people.

As I read through the part of Hannah’s story where she offers her son to the Lord even before he is conceived, it reminds me of Abraham and Sarah’s story. Both stories are filled with such longing. They want a child of their own! Not only so, but they present their requests to the Lord and back those requests with such strong faith. Both the stories don’t end there….

1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.

2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Both Hannah and Abraham have this deep desire to have children, just as we all have our own desires. But what do they do when God answers those prayers? For Hannah, she set her plans aside for her son and dedicated him to the Lord. After all, he belongs to the Lord, she is just his mother. Abraham too; he waited years upon years to finally have a son with his wife and then God tests him. He tells Abraham than he has to sacrifice his son- this child he has waited so long for. Does he hesitate? Does he pull back from God and say, “I don’t know if I can follow You anymore?” No, he gathers his things and sets out for Moriah the next morning. He TRUSTS GOD. He OBEYS Him. When we finally get that job, that promotion, that soulmate, or conceive for the first time, do we honor God with what He has blessed us with, or do we hold on tight to it as “our precious”? I want to be like Hannah.

Hannah’s story definitely spoke deep into my life as of lately. I’ve been reflecting on prayer and I am trying to take the necessary steps in my heart to believe God will listen and move on my behalf. It is so difficult to understand and accept that the God of the universe would take the time to hear my cries and to care about what is going on in my heart. My husband and I are trying to have a baby and each month that passes and I remain barren, my heart sinks. In addition to this, my heart feels so heavy for my husband’s mother who is neck deep in a church cult. My heart aches for these situations to change, and I am encouraged by Hannah to pray fervently, confidently and honestly.

Mm. This is good. I've felt very convicted about my phone habit first thing in the morning, and have been trying to make a shift (it's kind of ridiculous how hard that can be…). Also, the part about "praying from the depth of anger and resentment"—wow! I love the authenticity there. How comforting is it to know that, even though my attitudes and emotions are not always perfect, I can still come to God and through that process, He makes me into who He wants me to be.

It’s tornado season – weather wise and life wise …. Just moving about and out of nowhere the storm pops up – for me it is the storm of newly married adult children who live out of state … 3 daughters finding their way and much adjustment …. But Hannah draws the parallel for me this morning .

When the STORMS POP UP – assume the same position as when Tornadoes pop up . Get low. Face down. Protect your H____. (Head, heart….) Don’t peek out the window and see how it’s going – this storm is not under your control ! Nothing you do can change the course, well, one thing might….get low – CRY OUT TO GOD.

Thank you Jesus for Hannah. May her example touch thousands of hearts today as we seek you in our storms. Amen

What challenges me the most about Hannah’s story this morning is that she knew and saw God as He is: powerful. Sometimes I think when I pray to God it’s like I don’t believe He can really do things or fix things. Sometimes I forget he is God, all powerful. Oh, to be able to pray like Hannah did with so much faith, trusting the Almighty is listening. Hannah trusted God and did not give up her plea after a simple halfhearted prayer, she prayed and prayed never losing hope!

Amanda, thank you so much for this study today! I too have felt so convicted of going to the world's and others' thoughts and impressions and news stories before reaching for the truth of the Lord and worshipping in that first & foremost!

I love this verse from James 1:25 (in MSG) — "But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action."

also love it in this translation — "However, it is possible to open your eyes and take in the beautiful, perfect truth found in God’s law of liberty and live by it. If you pursue that path and actually do what God has commanded, then you will avoid the many distractions that lead to an amnesia of all true things and you will be blessed." (the voice translation)

I desire this transition from a "scatterbrain" to a "woman of action" once I set my eyes upon the Lord and obedience to Him.

Hannah is one of all time favorite Biblical people. I know the shame, and hurt of not having children. I cried, wept, screamed, begged, and pretty much sold my soul to have a child. It wasn't meant to be. Today, as I read this devotion, I saw something different, Hannah prayed and worshiped God. She was consistent in her time with her Lord. Now, I like the story of Hannah even more, and will strive to have more time with God. I too am like the author, and hit the snooze button, then scroll through my phone before I even thank God for a new day. Thank you for being open and honest enough to reveal your short comings.

I love Hannah’s story and her commitment & surrender to God. She’s raw and honest but knows who is the only one who can meet her needs: The Lord.

Did you notice that her husband pleads “Aren’t I more to you that ten sons?” He loves her so much as his wife and yet he can’t meet all her needs & desires. My husband and I have been trying for a child for two years, and it is sometimes difficult for me to rise from this deep longing like Hannah. It’s like an obsession/idol that blinds me from his blessings, such as my loving husband and friends.

But what I love about Hannah that I would like to emulate is how she pours her heart to the Lord, gets up from her praying knees in peace, and can worship Him with her husband, fully aware that she can believe, trust, & rest in our awesome & good God and His ways.

I feel you Robin! My husband and I are coming up on 5 years of infertility. A verse I cling to is Lamentations 3:22-24 Because of the Lord’s great love for us we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. I say to myself “The Lord is my portion therefore I will wait for him.” the last part is especially meaningful to me as I learn to let Jesus be enough for me and see the blessing that my husband is without asking him to fill voids that he can’t! Praying for you today!

Beckey's post about taking what God has given us and giving it back to him reminded me of a sermon about Jesus feeding the crowd. When we give Jesus all that we have/are (even if it seems like not much), He will bless it, use it and there will be excess. Our gifts, our service – anything given to Him, He can magnify for His glory. Amen!
I think we see that in Hannah this morning. She offered her gift from the Lord back to Him (and not just any gift!) and was blessed with more children.
That action also makes me wonder about what her "rival" thought. She had tormented Hannah about being barren and when Hannah finally conceives, she gives the baby away! Did the rival see an act of trust and faithfulness to the Lord or did she see stupidity? Food for thought for me about judging other people's actions!

She actually followed through and brought Samuel to Eli when he was weaned! I can’t believe she did it! I’m sure I would have told God I was sorry for making such a promise, but I would have to bow out of that ignorant promise and keep my son with me… She was a woman of her word and no matter how hard it was to leave her young boy with a complete stranger, she trusted the Lord and did so willingly. I want to have the faith to obey no matter how hard and sacrificial.. She was so full of faith, there was no room for fear..what a great woman, so much to be learned from her life. Thanks Hannah, for showing us how it’s done.

What struck me about Hannah is her dependence on prayer, her single-minded devotion to it. I think, for me, that the reason I fail to pray more consistently is because I get distracted, my attention is fractured and goes in a million directions. This is not only because I have two small children and homeschool, though that adds to it I'm sure;)

I think social media and the Internet in general are the primary reason my life feels ramped up, overly busy, distracted, like I never have complete thoughts anymore. I think I am addicted to checking in, seeing what's new, scrolling, looking for distraction, wanting to be entertained, and I swear, I think it's changed my brain! What do my children see? Am I in love with prayer and Christ? Am I a lover of reading and exploring the world? Do I really hear what they are saying, or am I nodding and murmuring to them, my face illuminated by a screen, being entertained by strangers online rather than the babies I prayed for?

The only way forward that I can see, the best way to give my best to God, is to cut the ties with social media, to not check in with the outside world before I've checked in with my heart and God, and to have the courage to make new habits, habits which reflect my love for God, my church, my family, and the beauty of the life he's given me. Checking Facebook doesn't reflect any of that.

I'm so touched by Hannah. Centuries later, she is helping me to shift my focus back to God. So grateful. Sorry if I went on and on:)

I feel the same and it is such a hard tie to break. I honestly feel crazy sometimes when it comes to social media. I check my phone without a thought. It’s ingrained in me and has become my habit. But that’s not what I want!! I want my habit to be prayer! I’m praying today for the Lord to help me change my habits! Praying for you, too, Angela!

Such an awesome truth for me today! I’ve been out of work for 6 months now. I’m praying and asking God to open the right door, but am I just praying or, pouring out my heart to God like Hannah did! What a reminder today, to pour out or hearts before God and not become distracted with our situation or
circumstance. There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides You!” - 1 Samuel 2:2″

“Hannah’s habit of prayer was less about her goodness and more about God’s greatness.

When our lives ache with need, may we bring them to the throne. When our hearts break, may we pour them out to God. When we rise in the morning, may we rise in worship.

“There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides You!” - 1 Samuel 2:2″

No matter what time I rise (we all have different
obligations and temperaments) I must bring my heart to God First. No matter how we approach Him to worship : In a whispered prayer. In a hurtful cry. In sorrow. In joy. In pain. In peace. In hope or despair – no matter the reason or way – we approach our God in worship. Giving thanks for Who He Is and What He is Doing.

Worship. Hannah’s couldn’t rejoice until she had her son – but she did worship. She went to God with an honest heart and gave it all to Him. Give your heart to Him today dear friend. In worship. Even if you are worshiping in sorrow.

My only thought to share this morning is that Hannah lived “Coram Deo,” with her eyes on the Lord and in the light of his observation. The good and bad she saw in light of his revelation. This enabled her to make great requests and sacrifices, and receive great blessings. Of course I want to live like that.

All I could think of today while reading your post was a recent sermon where the Pastor Steve Furtick said "me too!" When you think you are the only one who struggles…look around sisters…me too…I struggle…we all find ourselves at one time or another struggling with worshiping someone or something else….God's grace is good….He helps us see and recognize and gently guides us back to the right path.

Thank you, Amanda, for such an insightful and thought-provoking look at Hannah. How her example encourages us to likewise make our Lord the focus of our days, and to pray with abandonment and expectation.

I find it interesting that she promised God in prayer – "a vow" that if he would give her a baby boy, she would "give" the child "unto the Lord." Hannah – to her great credit – kept her vow. When Samuel was still a little child, she brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. She had prayed for this child, and the Lord had answered her prayers, she told the Priest Eli. "Therefore," she said, "I have *lent* him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he shall be lent to the Lord."

I find her choice of words intriguing, though I am in now way suggesting that Hannah wasn't keeping her vow. …We're first told that she promises to "give" the child to the Lord…and then she does in fact take her little son to the priest [and how difficult and heart-wrending that must have been!!]. But her words here, change slightly. She henceforth is "lending" him to the Lord, for as long as Samuel lives. …I wonder — and this is just a thought — if somewhere along the line, Hannah felt the Lord assure her that, despite her giving Samuel to the Lord [to the priest to raise], Samuel nonetheless would always be HER little boy. And that she would henceforth be remembered as his mother…just as we're studying her today, after so very many centuries. …I'd love to hear other thoughts on why Hannah may have preferred the word "lend"….

Amen! I do the same exact thing every morning. Check my notifications, which turns into scrolling social media or playing my turn on the game. Let the first thing I do when my eyes open be to bow in worship before the Lord.

This study is Godsent….Prayer is so important in our lives as it was in Hannah's . I find such relief from prayer and knowing that God can+ will work with my needs ,wants, as nd everything there's a need for….We have such a precious Savior and our relationship with Him should be #1, then our life will get in order.

2 i“There is none holy like the Lord:
for there is none besides you;
there is no rock like our God.

A reminder of who he is and what he does for us is just what I needed this morning!!! Even though I don’t know what is to become of me, my marriage, or my children, I know it is good because he created it!! Praise be to God! His will be done!!!

I was so struck by Hannah's faithfulness. But just like Amanda reminded us, it was all because of God's goodness. Everything points back to Him, and I love that Hannah makes sure of that. Her life, her prayers, her children – she gave it all to God because I believe she knew it was all His anyways.

The raw honesty of Hannah's prayers is a great lesson for us women trying to pursue Jesus. It's easy to think we need to somehow sterilize our prayers, sugar-coat our true feelings and make light of our situation. I like to say that God already knows my heart and thoughts, so why would I try to hide it from Him? When telling my husband about my prayer time, I'll usually say "I just told God what He already knows."

I want my prayer life to be vibrant, like Hannah's, once again. This is honestly one area of my life that's been a real struggle since having kids. I used to love to close the door to my room and cry out the Lord, or while driving, spend all that time talking with God. I know this season is just different (*hello* less time to myself and hardly ever driving alone), but I do want to have a more intentional prayer life.

I struggle to have quality time with the Lord too. I also have small kids so I find that I "chat" with God throughout the day (not necessarily a bad thing) rather than pouring my heart out or just sitting in His presence and listening.

Feel you on this one. We just had our 2nd daughter 2 weeks ago and while there´s always some moment to soak up time with the Lord, I´m reminding myself that even in sleep-deprived days/nights, waking up an hour before the house starts humming is infinitely better than just catching small chunks of time throughout the day.

Hannah is a beautiful example of a circle maker prayer. A beautiful book that changed my prayer life and I love seeing here Hannah teaching us how to pray, honestly, frequently, faithfully. God is so good!

What a powerful study today!!! I will be sitting with these thoughts for awhile :)

****Prayer Request….we will be heading out on a 2 week RV trip from MN to CA by way of Yellowstone….prayers for us on on journey would be greatly appreciated. It has been 3 years since my family in CA have seen the boys – so will be very fun. We have MANY miles to cover and the terrain makes me nervous……I still plan to be doing the study with you ladies, although in Yellowstone I am guessing I won't have internet, so will have to play catch-up :) love and blessings to you all!

Yes, I'll keep you in prayer, too, Heather! What beautiful countryside you will be seeing …and then cherished time with family, too! :) May our Lord keep you all safe as you travel, and fill you each with joy, peace and lots of patience! And may these two weeks later provide you with many wonderful memories!! Blessings to you!

The thing that jumped out at me this morning is Hannah's immediate relief upon dumping her heart out to God. "She ate and no longer looked despondent." Her circumstances had not changed right after praying, but her heart did. Love that prayer can offer such instant release!

What always strikes me about Hannah is how after finally getting what she has prayed for, the greatest desire of her heart, she doesn’t claim it as her own. She doesn’t walk away to show off HER baby to everyone. She doesn’t make this gift about her at all. She thanks God, and gives it right back to Him! “Thank you God! But I know this is yours. Use it for Your glory.” How often has God blessed me and taje it, turn my back on Him and focus on this thing I now see as mine?

Perfect. Your response to Hannah was exactly right. We do bow before our idols. I read in the Bible in the morning but have so many “important “things to see on TV at night. Thank you for making me look at my priority list.

Hannah has a beautiful heart. She certainly is a gifted in strength and integrity. When we are in the middle of stressful periods we seem to negotiate with God more than pray to. She didn't barter, she asked and offered… "If you will remember and not forget…." Our tendency of heart is a different approach; God if you provide a clean bill of health, a financial blessing … we will do, A, B and C. And do we keep our promises, to we meet God with integrity. Shouldn't we learn from Hannah's example …. shouldn't we approach our heartbreak with God her form? And yet with even more confidence because He already knows our heartbreak. And to our virtue, when God has met us and provided for us, how often do we go back on our word or agreement to Him. How often do we think, "Thank you God, but you wouldn't really want me to do that…" causing us to not hold to our promises. She offered up her first child and followed through with that. That speaks greatly to me. Am I that strong? Do I believe in God's ability so greatly that I'd be willing to make a promise so great and keep it? It is really is something to ponder for me right now as my plate is full and I am seeking God greatly in understanding my future. What am I willing to let go of on this earth to gain more God. If He remembers me and cares for my afflictions, who I am to hold *anything* back? ~ B

Hope you have a fantastic trip Heather. I'm just seeing your note this morning. Sounds exciting and fun and unnerving all at the same time! Enjoy and I look forward to hearing about it all. Safe travels my friend! ~ B

We are facing some challenges with our 11-year-old daughter. I have been wringing my hands trying to figure it out. Just this morning before he left for work, my husband said, “Pray for her.” It should be the logical, obvious thing to do! Today’s study just further confirmed my need to pray–not to try to be the perfect mom with all the answers. Not to try to orchestrate a solution. Just to pour out my heart in an honest prayer for my child, knowing God has all the power to work in our sweet girl’s heart and life.

Oh do I understand the place you are in. I, too, am having troubles with our ten year old. So often throughout the day, I'll try to figure out what *I* am supposed to do when I should be prayerful over it…constantly! Thanks for the reminder! ~ B

There must be something about 10- to 11-year-old daughters! We are going through serious challenges with ours too. But I'm reminded of how inconsistent I am in praying earnestly for her. May we be parents of prayer.

I'm there with my middle boy – 15 yrs old….with high functioning Autism….and a big cross country road trip looming (we leave tomorrow). He was in rare form last night…..I was prayerful when everything was "going down", but realized not so much all day long…..I definitely need to bring my boys (all 3) before Him more continually….

"Hannah’s habit of prayer was less about her goodness and more about God’s greatness." This got me. I tend to perform the duties of Christianity because it is the right thing to do. My motivation is to make God happy, to be His good girl. Prayer is often a struggle for me. I know I am supposed to do it, but the practical side of me struggles. Wouldn't my time be better spent *working* toward that thing I am praying about. For example, instead of praying about finances, I should be working on a budget and finding crafty ways to save money. Hannah made her first priority worship. She didn't try all the things Rachel did–surrogacy, fertility, pouting. She bowed in worship, keeping God's greatness front and center. I make myself the center of worship when I think my activity can impress God or fix my problems. May I, instead, spend my days making Him the focus of my worship and the motivation for my actions.

I just had to read the rest of Hannah's prayer 1 Samuel 2:2-10 and that ministered deeply to me.

I wrote before that I was going through a difficult season waiting on the Lord to make His plan clear for my family – we were in the process of buying a house – and it seemed like things were not going to work out. I asked my husband to go to the house one day after we received news that our closing would be delayed a-g-a-i-n (and we greatly feared that the sellers would walk away and find new/stronger buyers). We sat in our van in the driveway of our longed-for-little-house and we prayerfully surrendered it to the Lord.

We prayed "Lord if having this house will take our eyes off of you then we don't want it. We trust You, we will live wherever You lead us. Help us to obey You and believe You."

Just last week we closed on the house. To the praise and glory of God alone! When we met the sellers we heard that there were other offers before and after ours – better offers, stronger buyers – but they chose us (not sure why). And we looked to the heavens again and praised God – it was Him all the way through.

During the closing, when things were going all wrong, my husband took the opportunities to talk about his faith to our broker and his team. Because of the trials, the Fame of the Lord was spread.

Sorry this is such a long comment today friends, but thank you for receiving my words and praising the Lord with me!

Congratulations on home ownership! And to have the ability to worship God in it and share Him with folks that may not have seen Him otherwise. You may never know the reasons, but sometimes there is real beauty in the not knowing because it's always bigger than us, it's never about us! Awesome! Congrats again! ~ B

Praises for your new home! My husband and I are looking at buying a house right now as well, and though there’s less pressure because it isn’t on the market (we’re looking to buy from a friend who is moving), it’s still stressful to think about finances and the future value of the house if we move, etc. I love the prayer you prayed over that house…. I’m thinking I will adopt that prayer for this house as well! Thank you for sharing!

Praying with you Megan! I can definitely understand the stress you're feeling. May our testimony – and Hannah's with receiving and giving Samuel – guard your heart and your mind in Christ! His plan truly is perfect even when we can't figure out the future. :)

Congratulations, and praying blessings for you during the moving process. We are in the midst of it this week ourselves and oh my- I don't know of anything more stressful! Our former home sold during the winter, so this is our second move in four months. There weren't any houses available when ours sold, so we moved our family of four into a tiny little rental house while we waited. My poor kiddos don't know where home is right now! The sellers left quite a mess and there was much work to do, so while I was there by myself yesterday I walked through the house and prayed out loud. In each bedroom, for each of my sons and my husband, our marriage, our life and testimony as we live out (hopefully) many, many years in this home. Congrats again, and I hope your move goes very smoothly!

Cara Mae – and Jess: Congratulations! Thank you for taking a moment to share your stories – what a wonderful demonstration of God's faithfulness! Surely an encouragement to many of us 'SheReadsTruth' sisters! May you and your families be powerfully blessed by God in the new houses He has provided you! :)

We need to use every opportunity we have to give God the glory. This was a beautiful example to remind us how we should respond to God's goodness in our lives. He inhabits the praises of His people! When other see how He makes a difference, it draws them to Him.

"Though her prayers of anguish had become a song of thanksgiving, Hannah’s posture was still the same. In supplication and in praise, she bowed in worship before the Lord."

My pastor mentioned in a sermon recently (and I keep meaning to write a post about it!) the phrase "I look like this…" No matter what is going on in my life "I look like this". If sorrow encompasses me or I just won the sweepstakes, "I look like this". I still praise God no matter my circumstance. Even if there is resentment, like Hannah, or lack of understanding, I still trust in the One who holds tomorrow. So my countenance, my attitude, my disposition and the way I treat others, regardless of the situation, is the same. God is still on the throne, God is still in control and God is still more than able to deliver me if He sees fit. So…"I look like this".

Naturally he didn't mean we walk around with a fake smile on our face all the time but that our JOY, not dependent upon HAPPINESS, our JOY is complete because our Hope rests in Jesus. And others will see not a facade but a real relationship and trust in a God that doesn't change. I'm sure I didn't relate this the way it is in my brain :(

Help me Lord, as Hannah, she still worshiped, she knew where her strength came from and that she could draw from that well of living water when she came to bow at Your feet. Help me to put YOU first above all else. Amen.

Amen. You've related it quite well to me Candacejo. No dependence on HAPPINESS…no facade…but a consistent and constant attitude and disposition, no matter the circumstances…"I look like this". I pray that God helps me to be consistent in my attitude, my countenance, my disposition, and the way that I treat others. A lot of times, I see my inconsistencies, but I so greatly desire to "look like this". In Jesus name, Amen. Thank you so much for helping me to see this Candacejo. Thank you for sharing such a helpful point.

This reminds me of Ephesians 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.”

As Christians, we have been changed by God. Christ has redeemed us and that should be evident to others. When nothing is going my way, am I still revealing to others the Truth of my Savior? Am I handling my circumstances as if God is on my side or am I feeling defeated? If I want to truly be a light to others, I’ve got to ask myself, “Is this how I always want to look?” Thanks so much for sharing!!

After praying so earnestly and for so long for a child, it's amazing that Hannah so readily and joyfully keeps her vow and gives him back to God. I know I'd be tempted to take the answer to the prayer and keep it for myself, and I'm so challenged that I do this in other things- that I look to God to give me what I want or need for my comfort or happiness but don't truly submit those things to him and actually trust him. Hannah's truly is a heart of worship. She submits her deepest desire to God, and she is blessed with more children, but I think the even greater blessing is her closeness to God.
On a positive note, I am so blessed by these SRT devotions and all the great insights in people's comments. They have been so encouraging to me and help me to start each day with that focus on God, and it does motivate me to get out of bed in the morning so I have the time to fit it in. I'm so glad God led me to this site.

Carly I was thinking the same thing, would I keep my promise?! Hannah must have been so excited to find out she was pregnant but I think I would have mixed feelings. Excited to have a child but then remembering the promise to give him to God. I think this is a good reminder to keep our hands open to God, our life, job, family in an open hand, when I start to close my fist around something to tightly I have to repent knowing I'm putting it or my control over it before trusting God and His goodness. Learning from Hannah to keep trusting God and Gods goodness and he blessed her with more!! Reminds me of Abraham trusting God with his sons life and then God blessing Abraham even more!! What a great God we serve! Thanks for your insight this morning!

What a blessing to have you Carly! I pray that God works similar miracles in our lives, choses to bless us with a family but as you stated, more importantly to trust that He is the Giver of life and to be thankful for all that He has already blessed us with. This is where the joy and peace begin, I have found. Let us give all our blessings back to Him so that we may continually filled and our lives may be a reflection of His love and trustworthiness.

I so agree!!!! I get up about an hour early to start my day focused on Him, with you ladies….and my goodness, what a difference starting the day in the Word makes….I have also started reading a very short devo right before I go to sleep…..love that as well…..

Amen Carly. I'm very thankful for. SRT as well. I have a granddaughter named Hannah. Can't wait to share this devotional and Hannah's comments on the meaning of the name Hannah with her. Blessed week end to you all

What I like most about Hannah is her decision to dedicate Samuel to the Lord. Imagine – after all those painful years she finally holds her sweet little baby boy in her arms and she still is determined to let him go to that insensitive old priest and trust God that He will look after him … Her example encourages me to let my (grown-up) children go and entrust them to the Lord.

I have struggled thru the years of giving my children fully over to God……silly, I know…..but it took a long time for me to finally let go and let God……to fully know and accept that He loves them more than I ever can fathom……they are His first and last…..

Exactly! I am in awe, not as much of her promise to give Samuel to God, but of the fact that she did. I get making all kinds of crazy promises when we really want something, but when the urgency is gone, to make good on the promises made when her heart was broken shows so much character and integrity. A truly beautiful example of, as you said, entrusting our children to the Lord.

Thank you for this mornings words….I removed facebook from my phone only last week because i found myself glued to it! From first thing in tge morning to bed time….my need to see what others were doing was stealing away my time. Time that i said i didnt have! ‘Oh my a morning bible study i wish!? i have 2 small children dont you know’ and yet i always found time to zelously read face book!

So i waved goodbye to my friends posts – i was surprised by peoples reponse…they didnt seem to understand why i had done it?!

I have since then, a little like hannah (id like to think) – got up early and spent time in the word and with jesus…im not great at it still – i feel a little out of practice…but i know its important – your word has encouraged me to press on and be obedient in this. Be blessed. X

Good for you, Faith! It has been over two years that I have completely gotten rid of Facebook – for me, I had given up social media for Lent. And it felt so good after that Lenten season that I decided to not get my account back. While this may certainly not be for everyone, it ended up being a good choice for me:) it made me realize how much time I spent or wasted on it each day.

And just like you, I now get up early and read/study two out of my three daily devotionals:)

I had to remove fb from my phone for the same reason, Faith. I was amazed at the time I got back and the fact that contentment comes easier when I am not peering into others' lives. Keep seeking Jesus' face first!

I did this when my husband and I got married. A small act of obedience then has given great nutrients to the soil (trust!) in our marriage and great fodder for conversation with others when they as if we´re on Facebook. Know that your choice honors the Lord, sister.

Awesome choice, Faith! Hubby and I usually FB-fast for seasons, usually during Lent. And boy does it reveal how much time our eyes/brains were invested in it – crazy! Even now, when I go on for a few minutes, I actually feel quite non-productive (tho there are positives, especially God-honoring things we can do on FB). Your post has me considering a complete step away from FB — for more intentional 1st place Jesus time. Yay! :)

Thank you for that encouragement, Faith! I have 3 young children & can be found browsing (or should I say wasting time) on Facebook all too often. I’m loving these studies…spending my time on things that endure! Bless you

Hannah's name has three characters, and each character tells it's own story, like hieroglyphics. The first represents a tent wall, or the protection of a family dwelling.
The next character represents a sprouting seed, and symbolize continuance.
The third shows a person standing in a position of worship, and can also mean "pay attention" (because, as you pointed out, if I pay close attention to, to the exclusion of everything else, that's worship.
Together, these characters tell us " Worship what's inside your walls that will last" or "Pay attention! Protect what will endure".
Beyond the cultural imperative, I think that's part of why having a child was so important to her. She wanted her life to go on after she was gone. She was paying attention to what would endure beyond her.
Her name is defined as "grace" or "favored" because both grace and favor were associated so strongly with this idea of a family encamped together, protecting each other and ensuring that the family would continue.
To me, Hannah's name and her example issue a challenge every time I see my name written or hear it spoken: Am I worshiping what will endure? Am I paying attention to eternal things inside my walls? When I find myself getting distracted, I think about what will remain after I'm gone. I I want to be a woman who paid attention to what matters.

And oh how Hannah was true to her name when she fulfilled her vow to the Lord and offered her son. She took him "outside" her walls of protection and trusted that he would be safer "inside" the walls of God.

“Am I paying attention to eternal things inside my walls?” Hannah, I fall so short in this area! Distractions lure me away from those eternal things, just as Amanda wrote this morning: “Oh, Lord, please forgive me for giving my worshipful glances and prayerful pleas to anyone and anything other than you!”

My work environment has been very stressful this morning but when I read your comment, everything was put in a proper perspective. I also had the opportunity to share your thoughts with a couple of my colleagues. Thank you so much! I, am so blessed to have found this bible study.

I didn’t even know Hannah was in the Bible. I am learning so much. This story have me so much hope! It made me, again, realize how straight-forward I can be with God. I can pour out the good, bad & ugly, so long as I do it genuinely. What a relieving reminder for me this morning. God is good!